Bronco Nation News is taking a look at 25 questions about the Boise State football team heading into the 2024 season. Next up in our series is No. 21: Who is the odd man out for Boise State at safety?
Boise State coach Spencer Danielson has a nice problem heading into the 2024 season: He’s got four capable safeties for three starting spots.
Veterans Alexander Teubner, Seyi Oladipo and Rodney Robinson would seem like the three most likely candidates given their experience, but sophomore Ty Benefield might be the most talented of them all and is deserving of a spot as well.
A quick look at the career numbers:
-Robinson (29 career starts, including 13 last season; 40 career games played)
-Teubner (16 career starts, 11 last season; 45 career games)
-Oladipo (12 career starts, 11 last season; 40 career games)
-Benefield (5 career starts, all last season, 13 career games)
The numbers would point to Teubner and Robinson at safety and Oladipo at nickel, but it would seem crazy to leave Benefield off the field given his impressive freshman season in 2023. All four will play significant snaps but only three can start. It’s quite the predicament for new safeties coach Tyler Stockton and Danielson.
Teubner led the team with 85 tackles last season and also had an interception, five pass break-ups and a fumble recovery.
Oladipo was second on the team with 70 tackles but had an impressive 8.5 tackles-for-loss while playing mostly at the nickel spot. He also had 1.5 sacks, an interception, four pass break-ups and a forced fumble.
Robinson was fourth on the team with 61 tackles and and had 2.0 tackles-for-loss, an interception, two pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Benefield, a true freshman last year, was ninth with 46 tackles and also had 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 sacks, an interception, and five pass break-ups.
Who starts and how does the playing time at safety and nickel shake out? It’s question No. 21 heading into the 2024 Boise State football season.
B.J. Rains and Jay Tust discussed the dilemma on an ICCU Friday edition of Bronco Nation News LIVE. Watch the show here: